Time Is Ticking: A Rumbelle Fanfic
by Wickedlovely01
Summary: When Belle crosses the border, and it's her fathers fault, how far will Rumple go to save his beloved Belle?


_Time Is Ticking: A Rumbelle Fanfic_

**This takes place right when Rumplestiltskin is saving his beloved Belle from losing her memory… Or so he though! *Insert evil laugh***

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE FABULOUS CHARACTERS! THEY ALL BELONG TO ONCE UPON A TIME!**

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I could hear her screams of helplessness and plea. The magic I had produced was weak, slow, and dwindling by the seconds that passed. Moe French was on my right, wringing his hands fearfully, as he should, if Belle loses her memory because of him, I'll kill him slowly and painfully. Charming was on my right, silent and watching, with Ruby behind him, clearly fascinated by my magical powers. The noises coming from the cart were horrible, like a dying cats mournful howls. Dust fell from the roof of the passage way as Belle came around the bend, seemingly unharmed. I was to shocked to move, to fearful to speak. Belle looked around confused as to how or why she was here. David picked her up out of the mining cart and I quickly gave French an icy cold stare.

"Belle?" I asked. "Are you alright?"

"W-Who are you?" She asked me. That was not good, not good at all.

"You don't know who I am?" I said, I was going to kill Moe French! I ran my hand through my soft brown hair, trying to control my anger in front of her. I knew she hated it when I lost my temper, not that it mattered anymore. My sweet smelling, innocent Belle was gone, replaced with a shell of a stranger which I did not know, or loved. I loved the old Belle, the Belle that was gone.

"No, sorry, should I?" She asked, clearly apologetic. I couldn't answer her, I was clearly losing it.

"Charming," I said. "Get Belle and Ruby out of here, and make sure no one comes down here until I come out." David nodded to me, and grabbed his two companions and hurried them down the dirty mine. I sung my cane casually until the fading footsteps could be herd no more.

With a flick of my wrist, the door slammed shut and was locked with magic.

"Mr. Gold…" The same tone came out of his stupid little mouth as when I bear him senseless in the cabin. Good times…

I turned towards him. "YOU TOOK HER AWAY FORM ME! SHE DOSEN'T REMEMBER WHO SHE IS! WHO I AM! AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU!" I bellow in rage. Flecks of spit fly over his face, and his hands go up to up for protection. Hands won't protect him from me and what I'm going to do to him.

"I-I had to, Mr. Gold, you would have-" His sentence was cat short. I won't let him say it. I won't let him blame this on me. I loved Belle, I loved her more than life itself. And now she's gone, because of him. I pinned him against the wall, my hand stuck to his windpipe, unable for him to speak. Beads of sweat were cascading of his face, trying to find a way out of this deadly situation he had brought upon himself yet again.

"I LOVED HER! SHE LOVED ME, AND NOW SHE'S GONE, AND I CAN'T BRING HER BACK AS MUCH AS I WANT TO! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU FOOL?! BELLE WAS HAPPY! YOU JUST CAN'T GET OVER THE FACT SHE CHOSE TO LIVE HER OWN LIFE, THAN HAVE IT CONTROLLED BY YOU! YOU BUMBLING IDIOT!" I roar in rage. His eyes dart away from my devilish face, afraid for his life.

He gagged.

"I have two options for you, Moe," I whisper in his ear, deadly as a viper.

"You can A) Have me beat you up for what you did, and never talk or look at Belle for the rest of lonely, miserable life, or you can B) Have me tie you up in the cart, and send you over the line, as you succeeded with Belle, and you'll forget her. You'll leave town, and never return." I snarl in his face. I release him from his hold, and he takes a big breath of coal filled air.

"L-let me explain, please!" He pleads with me. "L-let me explain, for Belle."

For Belle. Those words repeat in my head. I remember when she was in my castle and I shunned her out from my life, and I thought she had committed suicide. I was miserable and inconsolable. When she came back to me, that memory haunted me, of how I had hurt her so badly. I vowed that everything I would do from that moment on would be for her. For Belle.

"Alright." I say, with an edge of pain in my voice from that fresh memory. "Say what you need to say."

Moe French is surprised I agreed to this, but he continues anyway.

"I did this to her because you were horrible to her. You took her away form her father and the man she was to marry. She was taken away to be some slave in your castle. She was going to have her heart broken because of you, and I could not let that happen to my daughter. I told her that she was forbidden to love you, forbidden to see you ever again, because you're a beast." I flinch at those words, snarling softly as a warning never to insult Rumplestiltskin again, but I let him continue, for Belle. "So I had to make her lose her memory, to forget you, and to forget all the horrible things you've done to her, even if that meant I had to lose her."

"Are you done explaining?" I ask. He nods, and more sweat comes down his face, out of fear, I think.

"Good." I say, clearly satisfied that he's finished. I think he's lying. I will beat him, kick him, and make him regret what he's done to Belle and I will then send time over the border. I sigh looking at my freshly polished cane. Belle did a magnificent job on the gold bust on top. "What a waste to get such bad blood on such a good cane." But as I raise my cane, something tiny and merciful inside me won't let me hit Moe French. I can't hit Belle's father as much as I want to.

My grief comes over me like a fast arriving tide. That chipped cup comes into my memory. The only thing I have left of my sweet angelic Belle now. Tears leak out of my eyes, Belle wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want me to take revenge on her father. I drop my cane, and it hit's the floor with an echoing clatter, vibrating off the walls. Moe eyes me, fearing for the worst, but the worst won't come to him. I want to beat time, the dark one inside me wants to beat him for what he's done, but I just cannot bring myself to hit him.

"Get out of my sight." I growl and he scrambles up, not need to be told twice from me, and runs out of the mines. Good riddance. I lower myself onto the ground, my body racking with sobs. I miss my dear Belle: The one I failed to protect, who I was meant to protect, the one I promised to protect. Why does everything I love and hold close to my heart get ripped away and leave a wound where weakness can seep in? I'm alone in this world.

"Rumplestiltskin." A tiny, soft voice calls out my name. I look up and see the blue fairy.

"What do you want?" I whisper. I want to be alone with my thoughts.

"That was a very good thing you did there, choosing right from wrong, choosing not to take your anger out on Belle's father, Moe French." She reaches out a pale small hand to help me up, and I take it, standing up, grabbing my cane, and regaining some dignity. "I'd like to help you in return." She says, and she truly means it. But there's one small problem.

"You can't get her back… She went over the border and lost her memory." I try to scream at her, but I just say it normally, with a hint of remorse along with it.

"And the dwarves and the faeries have found a way to get long lost loves memories back, Rumple." This springs a little hope in my. A final chance to get my beloved Belle back? I'll take it.

"What do I have to do?"

"The answer is simple Rumple, don't you see? True loves kiss will break any and all curses!" Of course! The trick Regina played on me to drain me of my powers in Fairy Tale Land! When Belle kissed me, my curse was almost lifted, maybe it could do the same for her.

"Thank you," I say as I walk out the door. But before she is lost to the shadows, I turn to her. "Oh, and no rents pay for a year, I've got it covered " I add, and then I leave her. I want to run through the streets in joy, but since when has Mr. Gold or Rumplestiltskin ever done that? Charming drives by in his police car as I cross the street.

"Ah, Sherriff Nolan," I say.

"Gold, where's Moe?" He asks, a bit angry.

"I don't know, I let him go free. Where's Belle?"

"I dropped her off back at your place to collect her things." David steps on the gas peddle and then slams on the breaks hard. He looks out of the window. "Rumple, I am really sorry about Belle, but true love will always find its way back to one another." He drives off, leaving a trail of dust in my wake. He's picking up Henry up from school, no doubt.

I walk through the streets of Storybrooke, while leaning on my cane, and I go as fast as I can. The sun shines on my head, making it feel like my head is on fire. Clouds cast multi colored shadows on the buildings and homes and the birds are singing. A wonderful day for a beautiful woman to have something awful happen to her. Everybody looks at me strangely, but I could really care less. I will get my true love back. I will get my beloved Belle back safely in my arms.

I open the door to my rather large estate. Belle, just like in fairy tale land, has kept it spotless for me, but it's her house too now. I really don't mind sharing with her. Even though she doesn't know how to use most cleaning products, she does a very fine job. I walk silently and swiftly up the stairs to a maze of hallways, closets and doors. Which room did I put her in? Oh, that's right, the one right next to mine. I open the honey oak doors and see Belle packing. She picks up a piece of clothing, examines it, and then puts it in a suitcase. She can't quite get the lid closed, so I walk over to her, helping her.

"It's uh, much easier if two people do it." I smile sadly. Her slender hands are over the brown leather suitcase. I put my large hands over hers, and together we push on the case. It closes with a snap. Belle turns to me, her blue eyes searching my brown ones.

"Thank you, whoever you are." She says. My times is running out. Tic Toc, Rumple, Tic Toc before she leaves your life for good and you can never get her back. Hurry up and kiss her! As a farewell gesture, her milk white hand brushes against my cheek, and I catch it there, trap it there. I lean in.

I kiss her.

The magical dust washes over us, and runs over Storybrooke like rainbow mist. This was a true loves kiss.

"Belle?" I whisper with my eyes closed.

"Rumple?" She answers back. She remembers! The curse was broken!

"Oh, Belle!" I breath into her sweater. She hugs me back. "Belle, I'm sorry I-" She cuts me off short by kissing me. Belle wraps her arms around my neck, and my arms go around her waist. I don't know how long it is before we release. But I really don't want it to end. This right here is our own little fairy tale, I don't need any other to make my life more complete than it is right now. I don't even need power, all I need is Belle.

"It's ok. Rumplestiltskin, I forgive you. I love you." She says this after our lips part. Here comes the tears again. We embrace yet again, In the fading twilight. This time I whisper, "I love you too."

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**Ok so even though I hate Moe French, I hate it more that Belle couldn't have her memory back. I tried to show Rumple's sides, and that he really does love Belle. RUMBELLE ALL THE WAY!**


End file.
